PLENTY RIVER PIONEER CHILDREN'S CEMETERY
6A HAMISH COURT GREENSBOROUGH, NILLUMBIK SHIRE
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
This record has minimal details. Please look to the right-hand-side bar for any further details about this record.
-
-
PLENTY RIVER PIONEER CHILDREN'S CEMETERY - History
History of Plenty River Pioneer Children's Cemetery
The unmarked graves of children of two Greensborough pioneer families are located in a private cemetery on the east bank of Plenty River, just north of the Maroondah Aqueduct pipe bridge. It is best accessed from Hamish Court. Melways: Map 10, J9 Chartist Robert Whatmough and his family arrived in 1842, leaving England to escape political persecution, with the Partingtons following them. Whatmough leased the orchard along the Plenty River in 1842 to 1887, which was established by Flintoff family with trees bought from the estate of John Batman. The cemetery contains the remains of seven young children of the Whatmough and Partington families who died between 1848 -1860.
The site was marked in 1985 with a plaque and crosses, during Victoria's 150th Anniversary. The crosses have since been removed. The plaque li sting the children's names, remains in the wall beside the Plenty River walking trail.
PLENTY RIVER PIONEER CHILDREN'S CEMETERY - Interpretation of Site
The cemetery contains the unmarked graves of seven children from the Whatmough and Parington families. It is likely to represent typical burial practices in early horticultural communities in Victoria. It is also indicative of high infant mortality rate of the era. As well as the connection with successful pioneers of the Greensborough district, the cemetery highlights the fragility of pioneer life for infants and children.
PLENTY RIVER PIONEER CHILDREN'S CEMETERY - Historical Significance
The cemetery's cultural heritage significance lies in its association with two of Greensborough's early pioneer families. There is considerable documentation of their pioneering work and activities which contributed to successful orchards and horticulture along the Plenty River.
The graves are unmarked and intact. The details of the children buried in the cemetery are listed on the plaque on the retaining wall. Descendents of both families st ill reside in the district and the oral history of the cemetery has been maintained. The cemetery lies in close proximity to the Batman Apple Tree, the one su rviving tree from the original orchard planted from fruit trees from John Batman's estate and the Maroondah Aqueduct pipe bridge across the Plenty River. Further significance relates to the 1865 drawing of the cemetery, attributed to colonial artist Edward La Trobe Bateman, which is held by the National Library of Australia.
Heritage Inventory Description
PLENTY RIVER PIONEER CHILDREN'S CEMETERY - Heritage Inventory Description
Private cemetery on small rise, on eastern bank of Plenty River, just north of Maroondah Aqueduct, north of Greensborough. Cemetery contains the graves of seven children of early pioneer families. Site is overgrown with weedds but intact and graves undistrubed. Surrounded by small pine fnece, identified by plaque on retaining wall.
-
-
-
-
-
JANEFIELD 2, GOLDMINING AREAVictorian Heritage Inventory
-
JANEFIELD 6Victorian Heritage Inventory
-
JANEFIELD 9Victorian Heritage Inventory
-
-